Chapter Text
The night air was cold, the kinda chill that went straight down to your bones and even with a thick jacket, anyone would be a victim to the cold. Even worse for the young teen who walked the streets without a jacket. Tank wrapped their arms around their body as they walked, they didn’t know how long they’d been walking. They were walking when the rain started and the cold water had long since seeped into their shoes.
Tank shivered as they walked, the pain in their aching feet only increased by the second, along with the pain in their cheek which had started to bruise and but luckily the small cut had stopped bleeding. Their mother always liked her rings.
Tank noticed the park next to the street they walked on, they frowned through the rain. Tank walked off the path towards the park, they walked across the soaked dirt before kneeled down to sit under the slide where it was mostly dry. Tank down and sighed.
They looked around, they couldn’t see anyone. Tank raised their hand, hesitated for a second. Their mothers frantic shouts of Tank being a monster echoed through their mind for a moment, causing Tank to wince. Quickly wiping the tears that formed in their eyes and staring at their hand again.
It took a few moments before the small flame came to life in their hands, the flame lit up the space under the slide. The flame casting light on their face, Tank sighed when feeling the warmth. They sat with the warmth, Tank didn’t know how long they sat under the slide for. They were broken out of the almost trance when a voice suddenly called out.
“What are you doing?”
Tank yelped, the flame flaring up for a second before Darlin put it out and turned to the woman standing next to the slide, leaning down to look at them and under an umbrella. She had a stern expression which almost reminded them of a teacher.
“W-What?” They said, backing away from the woman but something startled them. Tank couldn’t describe it, the woman gave off something- strange. It felt like the strange abilities they developed.
“You shouldn’t be using magic in public.” The stranger scolded them, Tank held their arms to their chest almost protectively. Magic? They were confused.
“Magic? I don’t- I don’t know what you mean.” Tank muttered, their teeth still chattering from the cold. Tank watched as the woman paused, her stern expression faded as she slowly looked Tank up and down. Lingering on Tank’s bruised and cut cheek, then their bare trembling arms.
“Wait- are you ok?” She asked, her voice a lot softer now. “It’s late, why are you out here without a coat or- what happened to your cheek?” Tank suddenly felt tears welling up in their eyes again at her soft tone, their bottom lip trembled and they turned away.
“I don’t- go away. I didn’t-“ Tank muttered, trying to wipe away their tears. They were scared and cold. They wanted to go home. The stranger’s expression softened more, she knelt down.
“Hey. It’s ok, little one.” She said, her voice painfully soft, it made Tank want to cry. “My name's Sophia. What’s yours?” She asked, Tank sniffed and looked at the ground, before weakly saying their name and she smiled.
“How old are you?” She asked.
“13.” Tank muttered after a few seconds, and Sophia sighed again.
“Did your parents kick you out?” She asked and Tank flinched, and a spark of pain shot through their face but they nodded. Tank was looking at the floor when there suddenly was warm light warming their face and Tank looked up to see Sophia with her hand raised with a soft flame dancing in her palm. Tank’s eye widened.
“You!” Tank gasped, leaning forward to stare at the small flame. “You’re like me!”
The strange powers began to develop about 6 months ago, they never understood the powers thought to hide them. They thought themself to be a freak, a monster and their parents' reaction to their fire only proved that but this woman- she was just like them. Tank’s eyes filled with tears.
“Did they kick you out because of this?” She asked, putting out the flame. Tank sniffed and nodded again, mind still running knowing that they weren't alone. Sophia reached forward, hand hovering over their bruised cheek, “I’m sorry, little one.”
A sob broke from their throat and Tank leaned forward into Sophia’s arms. Her free arm wrapped around their shoulders as they began to sob, clinging on to her coat.
———
Sophia wasn’t even meant to be walking home that night, her car had decided not to start that night and she cursed when it started to rain, only thankful for her umbrella. She was close to home when noticing the small light under a slide in a park. She looked closer and saw a teen with a small flame dancing in their hand.
This kid was breaking covert right in public, of course it was late and no one was around but it was still risky. So Sophia approached the child to speak with them, but she was startled to find a child shaking from the cold without a jacket and they had a bruised cheek and a cut on their face.
She quickly figured out this child was a human born kicked out by their own parents, she couldn’t help the feeling of rage that boiled in her gut when they began to cry at the thought of not being alone and that their parents had been cruel enough to cast them out.
The child almost reminded them of a moth, the way their eyes lit up at the sight of the small flame would’ve been sweet if they weren’t frozen under a slide.
———
Sophia had taken Tank home, it didn’t take long for them to reach her home. The house was large and in a pretty rich looking neighbourhood hood. Tank felt very out of place walking alongside Sophia, standing very close so they could stay under the umbrella.
As they walked up the path to the house, Tank was nervous, toying with their fingers while staring up at the house. They remembered their mothers disgusted scoff whenever they drove through this neighborhood, some comment about snobby rich people. Sophia didn’t seem like a snob, she was very nice. But Tank still seemed nervous.
Sophia unlocked the front door, turning to look at Tank who was now swaddled in Sophia’s coat, they had stopped shaking. The woman smiled while opening the front door. Most of the lights in the house were off aside from the living room light.
“May?” Sophia called out, Tank stepped into the house. It was warm, Tank watched as a new person walked into the- lobby of the house. The house was huge, Tank hadn’t been in a house this big before.
May looked younger than Sophia, who Tank moved to stand behind when seeing the stranger. They were nervous, but standing behind Sophia made them feel safer.
The woman, May, looked at Tank with some confusion but she didn’t ask. Sophia smiled at Tank, as they slipped off the borrowed jacket and handed it back to her.
“Damien went to bed about an half an hour ago.” May explained and Sophie nodded, Tank frowned a little confused.
“Thank you, you can start heading home now. That’s it for tonight.” Sophia said and May nodded smiling at Sophia and sparing another glance to Tank, suddenly self conscious about their bruise and less than stellar appearance.
Sophia gently put a hand on their shoulder, “Have you eaten?” She asked, that soft tone that makes them wanna cry. They didn’t know why.
They nodded, a lie. Sophia was being kind enough to let Tank stay the night, they didn’t want to be greedy. Sophia pulled a face that almost looked like pity. They didn’t want to be pitied.
“Are you hungry?” She asked, Tank was but they shook their head again, but added a nervous, “No ma’am.”
“Does your face hurt?”, she asks a lot of questions, Tank’s face scrunched up and they were about to say it doesn’t but the slight flinch of pain stopped them from speaking. Sophia sighed, lifting up her hand. “May I?”
Tank was confused, May she what? Tank nodded, worried about making Sophia mad who slowly reached forward, cupping Tank’s face in her hand and rubbing her thumb across Tank’s cheek. Their face was overcome with a warm tingling feeling. Sophia pulled back and smiled. Tank was confused.
“How about you go get a shower, it will warm you up nicely.” She said, her smile warm. Tank nervously rubbed their arm, nodding. “The bathroom is at the top of the stairs on the left, there’s towels in there and I’ll leave some clothes you can borrow outside.” She explained.
Tank felt so out of place, even in the fancy bathroom. Nervously staring at the clean white surfaces that they felt bad for running, Tank looking in the mirror at their face, they jolted in surprise when the cut and bruises were gone.
How did- did Sophia use magic on them? Magic can do more than burn stuff?! Tank smiled while touching the healed cut, it didn’t even scar.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, but Tank felt bad suddenly, this couldn’t last. Sophia was kind, just letting them stay the night. They’d have to leave again soon.
After Tank has showered and changed into the clothes Sophia had left them, they weren’t sure of where to go. They walked around to find Sophia again, eventually finding her in a study. Tank poked their head into the room, Sophia was on the phone. Smiling gently when seeing Tank.
“Feel better?” She asked and Tank nodded, “Wonderful, it’s getting pretty late. You should probably go get some rest, there’s a spare room you can stay in.”
Sophia walked Tank to the room, opening the door for them. It looked cozy, and warm much better than their own room at home- or old room.
Sophia was about to leave Tank in the room but Tank gently held her shirt to stop her from moving, “I- thank you.” Tank said, but Sophia just smiled, gently patting the top of their head.
“You’re very welcome and you’re welcome to stay for as long as you want.” She ruffled Tank’s hair before leaving Tank in the room. They took a few nervous steps into the room, inhaling and exhaling. They felt- relaxed.
They climbed into the bed, thick warm covers. They felt fresh and Tank smiled, they just wanted to enjoy the peace while they could have it.